Pre-existing Hepatic Encephalopathy: Really a Contraindication to Elective TIPS?

To evaluate the impact of pre-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) hepatic encephalopathy (HE) on developing post-TIPS HE. In this retrospective, single center observational study, all patients who underwent successful TIPS placement between January 2005 and May 2020 with data pertaining to HE in their chart were included. Patient demographics and procedural details were recorded. Clinical outcomes post-TIPS, were collected and compared across patients with and without pre-TIPS HE. Of 326 included patients, 159 (159/326, 48.8